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Kadri started down the path toward becoming the most complete player he can be — possibly that No. 1 centre the Leafs still need — by scoring once and assisting on the game-tying goal in Toronto’s 3-2 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Budweiser Gardens Monday night.

It was only a pre-season game, to be sure, and neither team had more than eight NHL regulars in the lineup, but Kadri’s performance stood out and sent the message he wanted to send to his teammates and his coach: He’s serious about elevating his game.

“Production is huge. I’m an offensive player, so that’s the first thing,” said Kadri, “but becoming the whole package. I think I was a little better on the draws, coming back in my own end. I even saw a few penalty-killing shifts.

“It’s just about time for me to develop myself and turn myself into the whole package.”

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David Booth scored the shootout winner, the only player to score. He played for the first time with Kadri, and was impressed.

“He’s really good,” Booth said of Kadri. “That was fun playing with him. He sees the ice really well. He controls the pace.”

But the most important opinion is that of coach Randy Carlyle, whose trust Kadri must earn. Kadri has always been an offensive player, but Carlyle has limited Kadri’s ice time in his own zone, preferring veteran centres to take those shifts.

On this night, Carlyle used Kadri in all situations — hey, that’s what pre-season is for — and he typically plays well in London, his hometown.

“Kadri needs to take the next step,” said Carlyle. “These are the types of tests that are along the way. Every game is going to get a little bit more pace to it as we go forward, and a little more aggressive, better lineups.

“He’s going to have to continue to grow.”

Tom Nilsson scored the tying goal. Morgan Rielly had two assists. Ex-Flyer goalie Cal Heeter, trying to win a job with the Leafs, got the win. But the game was all about starting that road to the regular season.

On the blue line there was Korbinian Holzer, who always seems to be on the cusp of making the NHL but never quite does. He had a solid night, dishing out a few big hits and gaining control of the puck while quickly clearing the zone.

“For me, that’s the best (I’ve seen) Korbinian Holzer play,” said Carlyle. “He was up on the play. He was physical. He made smart plays and decisions with the puck in the defensive zone.”

Holzer even got into a fight with big Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds.

“Don’t back off,” said Holzer. “He shoved me from behind into the boards. You don’t have to take everything. It doesn’t matter who it is. A little pushback never hurts.

“Obviously, I’ve got glue in my gloves. It always takes me a little time to take them off.”

Holzer is 26, and it’s easy to begin to wonder whether younger players such as Petter Granberg and Stuart Percy — both of whom also turned in solid performances on Monday — have passed him on the depth chart.

“I don’t want to compare myself to anybody,” said Holzer. “I just want to help the team win, just play my game.”

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